Aven Rose '14 Selected as Student Commencement Speaker

Aven Rose ‘14, a double major in rhetoric and professional writing and creative writing, has plenty of practice putting words on paper. But she doesn’t normally read those words out loud in front of thousands of people. That will change when she delivers the “Charge to the Graduating Class of 2014” during the undergraduate Commencement ceremony on Sunday, May 18. It’s a dream Rose has had since she was the runner-up in a speech competition in eighth grade.

“There’s something about getting to represent such a big group of people and giving them a parting gift,” Rose explains. “I realized I would kick myself forever if I didn’t try.”

Rose says she doesn’t think she would have had the skills to write her address three years ago. But her writing classes taught her how to focus on her audience and craft a speech that would engage them. She also credits the University Honors Program and her advisors, Director of First-and-Second-Year Writing Programs Beth Richards and Associate Professor T. Stores, for helping her become a better writer.

Rose is writing a novel as part of her honors thesis and she would love to get it published. She also hopes to eventually edit books because she likes helping other authors with their work. She already has experience editing a book and blog posts for EndGame Seminars, a company that promotes positive approaches to coaching young people, and Familius, LLC, which publishes content for marriage, parenting, family fun, health and wellness, and education. She says she finds it “incredibly gratifying.”

Rose’s main message to graduates will be to enjoy and appreciate the moment. She has the same advice for the incoming University of Hartford Class of 2018.

“Start appreciating what you have because it goes by really fast,” she says. “I feel like I blinked and suddenly it was three years later. I don’t know where the time went.”